Shipping crate



E. LAWSON SHIPPING CRATE arch 10, 1936.

Filed Jan. 28, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor E. LAWSON SHIPPING CRATE March 10, 1936.

Filed Jan. 23, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 on R on Invenior zuyene LQ W507i March 10, 1936. E. LAWSON SHIPPING CRATE Filed Jan. 28, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenior Eu9ne La woorz archlO, 1%6. E. LAWSON SHIPPING CRATE Filed Jan. 28, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention appertains to certain new and useful improvements in shipping crates designed particularly for the shipment of fowl or the like and capable of being readily folded for compact arrangement within a small space when not in use, as Well as capable of being quickly and easily set up in open or expanded position when required for use.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a shipping crate of the above character which embodies a bottom member having sides and end walls foldable upon horizontal pivots thereon, and the end Walls connected with a top wall member, in a novel slidable manner so that the crate may be readily collapsed or expanded in an expeditious manner.

A still further very important object of the invention is to provide a crate of this nature which is comparatively simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, thoroughly efiicient and reliable in use and otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in View as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the crate in folded position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of one of the bails or loops.

Figure 4 is an en'largeddetail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a vertical longitudinal section through the crate in folded position.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section through the crate showing the same in a partially unfolded position.

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detailed sectional view on line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that B denotes the bottom, SS the sides, and EE the ends, and T the top. The bottom B consists of a rectangular panel 5 across the bottoms of the endsof which are cleats 6. Each side S comprises longitudinal bars I and 8 connected by spaced parallel rails 9. The bars I are hingedly connected as at It to the panel 5 5 so as tobe capable of being swung down to a flat position thereon such as shown to advantage in Fig. 8. Each end E comprises a bottom bar II, a top bar |2, rails l4 between the bars H and 2 and side bars |5|5 fixed to the ends 10 of the bars H and I2 forming a rectangular frame therewith. Hinges 8 connect the ends E with the end portions of the bottom B. Each hinge comprises a leaf l6 fixed to the bar II and an elongated L-shaped leaf ll fixed to the 5 panel 5 so that the pivot of the hinge is adjacent the upper edge of the bar II to which the hinge is associated thereby permitting the ends E to fold over flat on the sides S when said sides are in folded position as indicated to advantage in Figs. '7 and 8. By an inspection of Fig. 5, it will be particularly noted that the pivot of the hinges 8 are located at the level of the upper edge of the bars I when the crate is in its extended or unfolded position.

The top T comprises a plurality of cleats 20 preferably four in number disposed in spaced parallelism and connecting panels 2|, 2| and 22. The panel 22 is in two sections leaving an opening therebetween which is closed by a door 25 mounted in place on an adjacent cleat 20 by means of a spring hinge 26. The door includes a cross cleat or stop 28 to engage the panels 2|. As shown in Fig. 1, the spring of the hinge 26 tends to move the door sidewise in one direction and a cleat 28' is fastened to the under face of the door and is located under the cleat 28. The spring normally holds the parts in position with one end of this cleat 28' under a portion of a section of the panel 2| as shown in Fig. 11, so that this cleat 28' acts as a latch for holding the door closed. When the door is to be opened, it is moved sidewise against the action of the spring 25 so that the end of the cleat 28' Will pass from under the part 2| and thus the door can be opened. The door is provided with a finger-hole 25. An important feature of the invention resides in the bails or loops L. Each of these loops L includes an elongated cross member 29 and L-shaped legs 30, the ends of which are fixed in the bars l2 and the legs extend through the space between panel 2| and the panel 22. The L-shaped construction of the legs permits the folding position of the top with respect to the sides and ends as shown in Fig. 5

and by lifting up on these loops the parts may be first disposed in the position shown in Fig. 9 and then when the ends are in vertical position the sides may be readily folded up to their vertical position. After this has been done then the sides and ends are locked by suitable fastening means 36.

It is thought that the construction, manipulation and utility of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A crate of the class described comprising a bottom, a pair of sides, a pair of ends, means for hingedly mounting the sides on the bottom so that they may lie fiat thereon or be disposed upright with respect thereto, means for hingedly mounting the ends on the bottom so that they swing on pivots spaced upwardly from the bottom so that they may lie flat on the sides when the sides are folded down on the bottom or may be disposed in upright positions with respect to the bottom, a top, bails on the upper edge portions of the ends having L-shaped legs extending through slots in the top and cross members connecting said legs.

2. A crate of the class described having an opening in its top, a hinge connecting one end of the door to a part of the top, a spring associated with the hinge and tending to move the door sidewise, upper and lower cleats connected to the free end of the door, the upper cleat acting as stop means for limiting downward movement of the door and the lower cleat having a projecting end which is held under a portion of the top by the spring.

EUGENE LAWSON. 

